And though she be but little, she is fierce...RIP Ophelia

Ophelia is gone. Her life ended in April, but I haven't had the heart to write about it until now. It was much harder to lose Ophelia than I ever expected. Perhaps it's because she was my constant companion for sixteen years, or perhaps it's because she went downhill so fast that I didn't have the luxury of time to prepare myself emotionally, or perhaps it's because I did nothing to prolong her life and feel guilty because of that. Perhaps it's a combination of all three. Whichever way you slice it, it hurts. To make a long story medium, one night, Ophelia started to meow in the wee hours. Being in denial, I convinced myself it was because we had just moved, even though I suspected otherwise. We had moved before, and Ophelia was never vocal about it. The next day, the situation continued, and it was a sad meow that told me she was in pain. She began having noticeable trouble getting up, and was barely moving. I took her to the vet, and she got sick in the car, as she always did. I got some dirty looks from people in the waiting room, and boy did I throw some back! I glared one particular woman down so long and hard I think I scared her. I just couldn't believe that she couldn't make the connection that sometimes, people take their pets to see a vet because they're SICK! She was holding a puppy, and maybe she'd never had a companion animal before, so had never experienced the loss of one. A little compassion would have been grand, but the vet tech made up for the woman in the waiting room. She was so good to my kitty, making sure she was comfortable, even after she'd been tranquilized and couldn't move or complain. As an aside, the tranquilization was the best thing I could have done for Phe. She would never have tolerated the IV, and it was so much more humane for her this way. I had to wait for the tranquilizer to take effect, which gave me all the time I needed to talk to Phe and tell her how much I'd miss her, and to thank her for being my furry friend. Then it was all over, and I had to go home without her. Thankfully I had my honey with me to help keep me together, and Leo at home to distract me. And still there are moments when I look for her on the couch, or go down the pet aisle at Sueprstore looking for cat litter. We had so many incredible experiences together, and made it through sooooo much stuff. Phe was with me almost half of my life. Sometimes I wonder how I'll possibly be without her, and I often think about what I could have done differently, if anything. Cats are harder to care for than dogs in some ways. Sure, you don't have to take them outside to pee, but when they get old, they don't tolerate car rides to the vet so well, and they don't often take arthritis medication willingly (or keep it down). When illness hits in old age, you realize that their quality of life will be severely impacted by any attempts to prolong life. In my case, Ophelia was already terminally ill, and showing signs of renal failure, so the decision was pretty clear, I guess. I don't know if I'll ever stop missing her. I do know there won't be any more kitties in this house for a while, if ever. Leo's too big and boisterous for a kitty, and he's enough of a commitment. Maybe some other time. I'm so glad I walked into the SPCA that day long ago in November. My Phe was a good friend. I only hope I was worthy of her friendship.

Indoor potties

I don't have many regrets in life, but I am dedicating today's post to one. I wish I had known about indoor dog potties when Lilith was alive. I have two for Leo: one for home and one for work, and he uses them quite successfully (though like all little boys, his aim leaves a bit to be desired from time to time). I got them from ebay for about $25 each because I don't have a private back yard right outside my kitchen door, and with a new puppy, waiting for the elevator and descending ten floors isn't exactly a good plan, especially right after they've eaten. I really wish I had discovered them when I had a senior dog who had trouble holding it while waiting for the elevator. How could I have missed such a cool invention? Next time, I'll be ready. For now, I can only spread the word. 

They're really easy to use. I trained Leo to use them by putting some shavings from his box at the breeder's under the grill. Clean up is a breeze. You just spray them down in the shower! They come with pee pads, but Leo tried to eat them. Besides, hosing them down is just as easy. 

So there you have it, people. Plastic gold. How much grief this would have spared Lilith, and how much sleep and carpet cleaning this would have spared me! Sigh.

Here is the link where I found mine:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Dog-Toilet-Color-green-40cm-50cm-UGODOG-INDOOR-DOG-POTTY-TOILET-puppy-training-/130620092330?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e69906faa

Those of you with big dogs can try the ugodog, which is basically the same thing, but you can snap two together. http://www.ugodog.net/#

Here's Leo in his playpen at work using his potty as a bed.

 

Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64?

Just because I now have a puppy doesn't mean I've forgotten what it's like to look after an older dog. The sleepless nights, incontinence, and general dependency remind me on a regular basis, believe me. I look at Leo and think about how lucky I am that I most likely won't be facing his mortality for over a decade. However, I still hope that at some point down the road, I'm able to adopt another senior dog. The kind of love you get from an older dog is priceless. Someday, I will have that relationship with Leo. I will love him all the days of his life. Maybe someday I'll add an older dog to the mix, too!  

 

This moment of cuteness is brought to you by a good meal :-)

Yum! That was delicious!

Homecoming King

Leo has been home for 24 hours, and is adjusting very well. He's tired, but today, I can sit in another room while he dozes calmly in the kitchen. Speaking of the kitchen, I have blocked it off with a baby gate for him because 85% accuracy with the dog potty isn't quite good enough to let him have free run of the carpeted areas. He's doing very well with the housebreaking, both at home and at school, but the highlight of his day is feeding time. He loves his food. He's turning out to be a fabulous snuggler, and the kids at work love him dearly. I look forward to every day I get with him, and I hope they are plentiful :-)

I'm in love!

 

The time has come, but this time, it's good news!

The boy in the blue collar, henceforth known as Leo, gets to come home tomorrow! I'm terrified, but elated. We're ready. Well, as ready as we'll ever be, and will take each day as it comes.

Leo is the one on the left. Here he is sitting calmly while his sister chews on his ear.

Happy birthday, Lilith

Lilith would have been 17 today. Every day I had with her was a blessing, and I am so thankful. Happy birthday, little friend. I love you.